Kinera Thorking Review – Flat Plus

Pros –

Enchanting unboxing, Sensational design and build quality, Utmost transparent and linear tuning, Wide soundstage with excellent imaging

Cons –

Large housings, Lacks dynamics, Sound tuning not the most versatile

Verdict –

The Thorking is an earphone that offers a slightly more forgiving take on an old-school neutral tuning realised through gorgeous design and excellent technical ability.  

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About Kinera –

Kinera is a Chinese audio company founded in 2011. They began life as an OEM for other brands, mass manufacturing balanced armature drivers and later expanding to manufacture other driver types such as bone conduction drivers. In 2016, the company released their first IEM and entered the world of audio as its own brand. Since Kinera has kept up to date with cutting-edge technologies such as electrostatic and micro drivers in its designs. They have refined their approach using hand-crafted artisan IEM shells and more high-end models to suit the international market.

Introduction –

Kinera has come a long way from its OEM roots. Their IEMs boast some of the most distinct and eye-catching designs on the market. Though originally known for their affordable IEMs, they’ve increasingly pushed into the high-end market in recent years. The Thorking represents the latest and greatest from the company as their new generation hybrid flagship. It appears similar to the Loki released last year, missing the BCD but implementing a similar dynamic driver woofer, 6 balanced armatures and 4 Sonion electrostatic super tweeters. The call to fame is surely its stunning brass shell that represents the first all-metal chassis offered by Kinera. True to their legacy, it is a stunning piece with faceplates inspired by the Norse mythology from which it is named. Kinera is promising a more neutral, balanced sound signature from their latest hybrid flagship which should excite given their portfolio has erred on the more coloured side until now.

The Thorking is available for $2,499 at the time of writing. You can read more about it and secure one for yourself at Kinera Audio!

Disclaimer –

I would like to thank Jin very much for reaching out to organise a review of the new Thorking. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.

Contents –

• Page 1: Intro, Unboxing, Design
• Page 2: Sound and Source Pairings
• Page 3: Comparisons & Verdict

Specs –

• Drivers: 1x Dynamic Driver, 6x Balanced Armature, 4x Electrostatic
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz –50kHz
• Impedance: 14.7 Ω
• Sensitivity: 110 dB

Behind the Design –

Tribrid Driver Array

The Thorking uses a very similar driver setup to the Loki sans the bone conduction driver designed to offer a lightly V-shaped sound. This starts with a 10mm high-polymer composite dynamic driver. Kinera promises excellent diaphragm stiffness that enhances efficiency and minimizes distortion. Dual Knowles balanced armatures handle the mid-lows and a quad Knowles BA array in a 2×2 configuration handles the high end.  Covering the very top are four of Sonion’s latest generation electrostatic super tweeters that boast excellent spaciousness and transient response.

3D Printed Internals

The metal shell houses multiple 3D-printed acoustic chambers for each set of drivers. For the DD, the chamber offers calculated volume and pressure control. Above, the tweeters sport a unique two into one chamber merging the outputs of the 2×2 tweeter driver system dubbed Twin-Star for enhanced resonance control and resolution. The sound tube and nozzle diameters have all been precisely calculated and the acoustics work hand in hand with a combination of electronic and physical crossovers for a coherent and detailed sound.

High-Quality Cable

Kinera has specifically chosen a 7N OCC cable from Taiwan to suit the sound properties of the Thorking. It features a uniform, continuous crystal structure for optimal conductivity and custom solder and hand braiding ensuring the whole conducting path performs at its best. The SoftFlex PVC sheath promises a strong ergonomic experience whilst sand-blasted alloy hardware is designed to match the aesthetic of the housings.  

Unboxing –

Kinera’s unboxings have always been tremendous and the Thorking takes this to the next level as one of the company’s flagship offerings. It comes in a massive hard box with silver accents and a metal Kinera tag in the centre.

Opening the split-fold case reveals the earpieces and cables within a foam inlet. Below is a genuine leather zipper carrying case containing the 7N OCC cable, a two-pocket compact pouch and a leather cable organiser. Lifting from the pull tabs reveals the remaining accessories consisting of a generous cleaning cloth, brush and a whopping 11 pairs of ear tips to ensure optimal fit and seal. Final Audio E-tips are a notable inclusion and some of my personal favourites.

Design –

Laying eyes on a Kinera IEM tends to be a captivating experience for the company’s work with coloured resins and textures is easily some of the best in the industry. The Thorking however, diverges from the norm, sporting an all-metal brass housing instead – a first for Kinera. Accordingly, they are meaty, dense and unyielding in their solidity. This is aided by the two-piece design with no central seam breaking up the structure and aesthetics. The Thorking is also available in two finishes. While the high polish set is arguably slightly more premium in look, the matte sand-blasted model gives a more pleasing hand feel and is easier to clean and maintain. Either way, the high polish gothic accents on the faceplates offer an inviting play on light and the build quality is superb.

My one complaint with the design is the dark text on the inner face which is subjectively much cheaper looking than the IEM shells themselves. Smaller laser-etched text would have contributed to a more premium aesthetic in my opinion. At the top is the widely supported 0.78mm 2-pin removable cable system. The standard cable offers no less quality than you might expect from a boutique custom cable. It sports sand-blasted metal hardware that matches the IEMs and has a 4-wire braided construction with a soft fabric sheath granting a high-performance look and feel. Once again, visual congruence is excellent with grey speck in the fabric that matches the silver shells. The wires are soft with no memory of springiness and microphonic noise transmission is minimal. Kinera has chosen a 4.4mm termination, unfortunately with no modularity.

Fit & Isolation –

In order to accommodate its extensive driver network, the Thorking is quite a large earphone. Accordingly, if you have smaller ears, these are best avoided. Over longer listening sessions, I did notice a mild pressure at the back of the ear due to a combination of their weight and size. It wasn’t enough to ruin my listening experience but something to note – I was always aware that they were there but it was never a painful experience. Besides this, the nozzle is well-angled and the fit is snug. They have excellent stability despite their weight and form a strong, consistent seal as a result.

In terms of passive noise isolation, the Thorking performs about average for a vented hybrid design. You get even broadband attenuation of ambient noise and good low-frequency blocking which helps to retain solid balance when listening in louder environments. With that said, for those wanting something exclusively for listening in loud environments, a sealed monitor would be a far more suitable choice as the overall attenuation level, even with foam tips is just average. The upside to the vented design is the lack of driver flex and wearing pressure which enhances comfort during long listening sessions.

Next Page: Sound Breakdown